John albert weight and thomas jones hopley



(No Model.)

J. A. WRIGH T & T. J. HOPLEY. AUTOMATIC DRIP 000K FOR STEAM E No.551,025.

NGINES. Patented Dec. 10, 1895.

' j W i S'rarns .lOl-Ihl ALBERT WEIGHT AND THOMAS JONES IIOPLEY, OF:\VILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA; SAID IIOPLE Y ASSIGNOR TO SAID \VRIGHT.

Auroiv m'ioomge-eocu Fen STEAM-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 551,025, dated December10, 1895. l

Application filedhiarch 22,1896. Serial to. 542,798. (Non odeL) Isylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in AutomaticDrip-Cocks for Steam-Engines and we do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it apbeing had to theaccompanying drawings,

' which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic drip-cocks for thecylinders of steam-engines for drawing oif the water of condensation.

In the ordinary cylinder drip -cocks of steam engines, especiallylocomotiveengines, it frequently happens through forgetfulness orcarelessness that the engineer neglects to 'open the cocks in startingthe engine to allow the Water of condensation to escape, which tends toimpair the efiiciency of the engine and cause accidents. Again, inWinter, when the engine is not in action and the, drip-cocks are closed,it frequently happens that the water of condensation freezes, so that.in starting the engine the joints and cylinder-heads are liable to .beblown out.

The object of our invention is to obviate the above and other objectionsand provide a dripcock for each end of a steam-engine cylinder, asusual, having automatic valves, .which are alternately opened and closedat each stroke of the piston by the steam-pressure in the cylinder, thecock at one endbeopened while the cylinder is exhausting at that end andthe other cock closed, and vice versa. The construction is also suchwhenthe engine is at rest or inactive both valves will be open, so thatthe cylinder willbedrained of the water of condensationat both sides ofthe piston. "The invention consists in the novel construction andcombination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

111 the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of twoconnected driprcocks constructed in accordance with our invention.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detailsectional viewof the two-part hanger.

In the said drawings the reference-numeral 1 designates two verticaldrip-cocks screwthreaded at the upper ends to engage withthe boss 2. ofthe steam-cylinder, one of said cocks being provided at each endthereof. Each of these cocks is formed with a cylindrical bore 3, inwhich works a vertically-reciprocating valve-rod 4, formed at its upperend with a valve 5. This valve works in a' valve-chamber 6 in the upperend of the cock, provided with a seat 7. Connected with thisvalve-chamber is an outlet 8. Connected with the lower ends of thesevalve-rods is a lever 9, pivoted at its center to a hanger consisting oftwo bars 10 and 12, one of which is formed with a screw-shank 13, fittingin acorrespondingly-threaded recess in the upper bar 12,- wherebythebar 10 can be adjusted vertically.

The upper end of bar 12 is secured to a'rod outer ends ofthese pins areprovided with an adjustable collar 18 and aset-screw 19.

The operation is as follows: When the en gine is at rest, the coiledsprings 19, which are of equal tension, cause the valve-rods to beelevated'and the valvesraised from their seats,

so that any water of condensation in the cylinders Will escapet'lirough'the outlets 8, thus rendering accidents consequent uponaccumulation of water in the cylinders impossi- 'ble. When the engine isstarted, the steam upon the pressure side of the cylinders will depressthe valve at this end, closing the same, and through the medium-of thelever will open the valve at the opposite or exhaust side, allowing anywater and a portion of the steam therein to csca c. This operation willbe repeated at each s roke of the piston, the

valves being alternately opened and closed.

By means of this two-part hanger the lever connecting the valve-rods canbe 'adjusted vertically, so as to vary the stroke of the valves. i l

The (lei'ice can beapplied to the ordinary cylinders now in usewithoutany alterations being made thereto it beingsimply necessary toremove the usual drip-cocks connected therewith and replace them withthe cocks described herein.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In adrip device for steam engines, the combination with the drip cockslntving cylindrical bores, enlarged chambers at the lower ends formedwith slots, the valve chambers at the upper ends, the valve seats andthe outlets below the valve seats and above the chambers at the lowerends, of the vertically reciproeati 11g valve rods working in said boresand provided with valves at their upper ends, the lever passing throughsaid slots and pivoted to the valve rods, the hanger to which saidlever' is pivoted, and the connecting bar to which the leveris secured,substantially as described.

2. In a drip device for steam engines, the combination with the dripcocks haiing cylindrical bores and valve chambers and valve seats at theupper ends thereof, and an outlet below the valve seats, of thevertically reciproeating valve rods, the rod connecting said cocks, thehanger secured thereto, the lever pivoted to said hanger and its endspassingtin'ough slots i n the lower ends of the cocks and pivoted. tothe lower ends of the valve rods, the pins passing through the lowerendsof the cocks, the annular collars on the inner ends thereof. uponwhichthe valve rods rest,

' and, the coiled springs confined between the lower ends of the cocksand said collars, substantially as described.

3. In a drip device for steam engines, the combination with the dripcocks having eylindrical bores and a valve chamber and valve seat at theupper ends thereof and an outlet below the valve seats, and thevertically re; ciprocating valve rods 'provlded with valves,

ally connected with valve rods. the pinspassing through the lower ends Ithe cocks pro vided with annular eollars ai theirupper ends on which thevalve rods rest, and the coiled springs confined bctweensaid collars andthe lower ends of the cocks, subsial|tiallyas described. I

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretuntoaffixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ALBERT WRIGHT. THOMAS JONES IIOPLEY. Witnesses:

ITmNRv M. J onnsron, SAMUEL A. GILL.

